Sealed ball bearing with stamped races

Abstract

A unitized seal bearing includes stamped inner and outer races radially spaced by ball bearings and having a circumferential gap on each side thereof between circular edges of the inner and outer races. A rubber sealing ring fits within each gap, with the inner edge of the ring seating on the inner race and a side thereof adjacent the outer edge of the ring seating on an outer race.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A bearing, comprising, a pair of inner bearing races, each having a curvilinear raceway, a pair of outer bearing races concentric with the inner races, each outer race having a curvilinear raceway in confronting relation to a respective raceway of an inner race,   a complement of antifriction elements disposed in rolling engagement between the confronting raceways of the inner and outer races,   the raceway of each inner race further including an axially extending portion and a radially extending portion terminating in a first circular edge,   the raceway of each outer race further including a second circular edge which is of substantially the same radius as the first circular edge and is axially spaced therefrom,   an annular seal disposed in the space between each respective first and second circular edge, each seal including an outer sealing lip in sealing contact with the raceway of an outer race and an inner diameter in sealing contact with the axially extending portion of an inner race, each seal filling the space between the respective first and second circular edges to limit misalignment of the inner and outer bearing races.   
     
     
       2. A bearing comprising, a pair of inner bearing races, each having a curvilinear raceway, a pair of outer bearing races concentric with the inner races, each outer race having a curvilinear raceway in confronting relation to a respective raceway on an inner race,   a complement of antifriction elements disposed in rolling engagement between confronting raceways of the inner and outer races,   the raceway of each inner race further including an axially extending portion and a radially extending portion terminating in a first circular edge, the raceway of each outer race including a second circular edge which is of substantially the same radius as the first circular edge and is axially spaced therefrom,   an annular seal disposed in the space between each respective first and second circular edge, each seal including a flat first side and a second side including a circumferentially extending groove therein which defines an outer sealing lip, the outer lip being in sealing contact with the raceway of an outer race, and the inner diameter of the seal being in sealing contact with the axially extending portion of an inner race, the thickness of each seal between the sides thereof being slightly greater than the spacing between each respective first and second circular edge to fill the space between such edges and limit misalignment of the inner and outer bearing races.   
     
     
       3. A bearing, comprising, a pair of inner bearing races, each having a curvilinear raceway, a pair of outer bearing races concentric with the inner races, each outer race having a curvilinear raceway in confronting relation to a respective raceway on an inner race,   a complement of antifriction elements disposed in rolling engagement between confronting raceways of the inner and outer races,   the raceways of each inner race further including an axially extending portion and a radially extending portion terminating in a first circular edge, the raceway of each outer race including a second circular edge which is of substantially the same radius as the first circular edge and is axially spaced therefrom,   an annular seal disposed between each respective first and second circular edges, each seal including a circumferentially extending groove on each side thereof, each groove defining annular inner and outer sealing lips, the outer sealing lip of one side of the seal being in sealing contact with the raceway of an outer race, and the inner diameter of each seal being in sealing contact with the axially extending portion of an inner race, the thickness of each seal between the sides thereof being slightly greater than the spacing between each respective first and second edge to fill the space between the first and second edges and limit misalignment of the inner and outer races.   
     
     
       4. A bearing comprising, a pair of inner bearing races, each having a curvilinear raceway, a pair of outer bearing races concentric with the inner races, each outer race having a curvilinear raceway in confronting relation to a respective raceway on an inner race,   a complement of antifriction elements disposed in rolling engagement between confronting raceways of the inner and outer races,   the raceway of each inner race further including an axially extending portion and a radially extending portion terminating in a first circular edge, the raceway of each outer race including a second circular edge which is of substantially the same radius as the first circular edge and is axially spaced therefrom,   a flat annular seal disposed between each respective first and second circular edge, each seal having a thickness slightly greater than the spacing between each respective first and second edge, one side of each seal being in sealing contact with the first circular edge of an outer race, the inner diameter of each seal being in sealing contact with the axially extending portion of an inner race, each seal having a thickness slightly greater than the spacing between each respective first and second edge to fill the space between each first and second edge and limit misalignment of the inner and outer races.